My 82-year-old mom is in assisted living with moderate dementia. I am POA. Her financial planner suggested I get an elder lawyer after I asked her to explain to me how to access my mother's dwindling investments. I estimate that mom can afford about a year and a half of assisted living before she runs out of money completely. She is moderately well and it seems possible she may live many more years. I don't want to spend money unnecessarily on a lawyer if I can manage things myself. I have an accountant who can tell me about the tax issues. My plan after assisted living depends on mom's wellness. Not sure if she will be ready for a nursing home or if she will have to come live with me. My sister made it clear she has no intention of helping financially. I'm a social worker and my husband's retired. We have a fixed income but would do what we have to to help mom. So many unknowns.
The red flag that is waving to me is your moms current AL situation. For medicaid, AL is paid by a waiver or a diversion of Medicaid funding by each state uniquely. As such, alot of facilities do NOT participate in the waiver program as it is not dedicated funding (like NH Medicaid $ is). So Does your moms AL have Medicaid beds? And if so what is the path for her to get into one? Usually it's 2 years private pay. But often it is not guaranteed. Why? cause as its a waiver so it changes as waiver programs tend to have a 5 yr funding run. So find out ASAP if there will be a bed for mom.
If not, then it's Plan B (sorry brad! Lol) & here is where the atty can be especially valuable. They will know what the best path is to get mom into and onto Medicaid in a facility and qualify both financially & medically.
Also please please pause before you blithely take mom into your home & you become her 24/7 caregiver. Talk with your SW friends about dealing with aging elderly before you do this.
I think though that the financial planner felt you should see an elder lawyer just in the process of managing your mother's care. I assume an attorney did prepare the POA; I think you should see either an estate planning or elder law attorney to get the POA upgraded to a DPOA, given (a) your mother has moderate dementia, and (b) typically POAs aren't as broad in scope as a DPOA.
If your mother doesn't have estate planning documents and/or a trust, or an advanced directive (sometimes called a Living Will), I would consider an attorney to gt these in place before the dementia progresses.
From what you wrote, it seems as if you have a good understanding of what's involved and are already addressing it. Just think about expanding the authority you have so that it's in place as the dementia proceeds.
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